together we can fight exploitation in cocoa

the problem

The systemic underpayment of cocoa farmers is exploitation, causing a domino effect that leads to poverty, which forces farmers to turn to other forms of exploitation: child labour and deforestation. There are 1.5 million children* in child labour in cocoa-growing communities, and there is widespread deforestation in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. These issues have been embedded in the industry for many decades without much progress. Tony’s Chocolonely exists to fight this.

*NORC report, 2020

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the problem

2.5 million farms in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire produce more than 60% of all cocoa worldwide.

1,560,000*

Ghanaian and Ivorian children are involved in child labour because their parents aren’t able to earn a living income from the cocoa they sell. This isn’t normal or acceptable to us.

*NORC report, 2020

30,000*

people are victims of forced labour, as confirmed by recent findings. These adults and children are forced to work on cocoa plantations without getting paid. In reality, this number is probably much higher since no research has been conducted in areas in which cocoa is being farmed illegally.

*NORC report, 2020.

what?! forced labour?

Yep. Right now there is forced labour on cocoa farms in West Africa. This is a direct result of the unequally divided cocoa chain. Tony’s Chocolonely exists to end exploitation in the cocoa industry – fighting poverty, child labour and deforestation. Child labour and forced labour are against the law – it’s an illegal practice that needs to stop.

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what?! forced labour?

The cocoa sector today is still full of human rights violations, including forced labour and child labour. The systemic underpayment of cocoa farmers is exploitation. Which drives them into poverty, forcing them to turn to illegal labour practices – especially child labour. This leads to more exploitation in a vicious and avoidable cycle.

so.. what do we mean exactly by forced labour?

We call any form of “work that is performed involuntarily or under the threat of penalty” (ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930, No. 29) forced labour. It refers to work that is done by any person under duress and for which they’ve not offered themselves voluntarily.

child labour, in a cocoa shell

Just before, we talked about forced labour, but we want to be very clear: child labour and forced labour are not the same thing. Dangerous working conditions or working during school hours are forms of child labour, not forced labour. Child labour occurs far more often than forced labour, and can occur in different levels of severity, as shown in the ILO table below:

Tony’s route to fighting exploitation in cocoa

Together, we can fight exploitation in cocoa: poverty, child labour and deforestation. How? Well, it won’t be easy as it’s a complex issue, but we know we’ll accomplish it with the help of Tony’s road map. This map points us in the direction of our 3 pillars of action.

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Tony’s road map to fighting exploitation in cocoa

Together, we can fight exploitation in cocoa: poverty, child labour and deforestation. Not just the cocoa in our chocolate, but in all chocolate worldwide. To help get us there, we’ve created a road map that outlines our long-term goals. Every year we take (small and large) steps that move us towards these goals. Our road map consists of 3 pillars of action:

We believe it’s important to raise awareness about what child labour is – and how to protect children’s rights – among cocoa farmers and people in cocoa communities. Because broad awareness is an essential step toward creating change. Community Facilitators and Tony’s Ambassadors work to achieve this through ongoing education and events like public talks and get-togethers aimed at raising awareness and celebrating successes while informing and inspiring parents and children.

We want all Choco Fans to be aware of the injustice in the cocoa industry. If retailers and Choco Fans actively demand chocolate sourced using Tony’s Sourcing Principles, chocolate companies are more likely to take responsibility for making it happen. That way, Choco Fans will know what’s going on and can join us in our commitment to change the industry.

We lead by example and show that chocolate can be made differently – in taste, packaging and the way we do business with cocoa farmers – so chocolate makes everyone in our supply chain happy. For this to work, we have to make commercially successful chocolate without the use of exploitation.

We invest in long-term partnerships with cocoa farmers, pay prices that enable cocoa farmers to earn a living income and enable cocoa farmers to be more organised and improve their productivity. We trace our cocoa from bean to bar.

We inspire other key players to take action and are actively seeking partners to share our sourcing model with via Tony’s Open Chain. We encourage brands to source cocoa according to Tony’s Sourcing Principles by showing them what impact we’re making, sharing lessons we’ve learned and always being open to discussion. We’re very critical of our own efforts and we’re constantly looking to see how we can raise the bar. We maintain an ongoing dialogue with politicians, NGOs and academia to increase the pressure on the industry to adopt Tony’s Sourcing Principles to end exploitation in cocoa.

Van het wegen tot kopen tot verkopen van cacaobonen, alles wordt zorgvuldig bijgehouden. Dat ziet ’r goed uit!

Boekie bezoekt boeren in Aponoapono. In een mooi bakkie met open dak, z’n haren wapperen in de wind.. da’s reizen in stijl.

From weighing to buying to selling cocoa beans, everything is carefully documented. Lookin’ good!

Boekie visiting farmers in Aponoapono. Nice convertible, hair dancing in the wind.. travelling in style.

Tony’s Sourcing Principles

Our chunking good chocolate proves things can be done differently – in taste, packaging and the way we do business with cocoa farmers. Tony’s rules of the game put human and environmental rights at the center of business, allowing companies to source cocoa using Tony’s Sourcing Principles while still enjoying commercial success.

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Tony’s Sourcing Principles

Tony’s Sourcing Principles are our tried-and-tested solution for fighting exploitation in cocoa. Following these principles enables cocoa farmers to earn a living income. This is crucial for enabling farmers to earn a living income, and fighting child labour and deforestation in Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana.

We're here to inspire all cocoa sourcing companies to adopt Tony’s Sourcing Principles when doing business with cocoa farmers. Not 1 principle, not 2 principles but – and this is very, very important – all of them are needed to change the norm in cocoa!

so.. are the solutions working?

The short answer? Yes! But there’s still much work to be done. The long answer? Read Tony’s Open Chain 2024/25 Impact Report to sink your teeth into the latest data and findings.

all hands on deck!

We can’t achieve our goals alone. Alone, we fight exploitation in our cocoa supply chain. But together, we can change the industry across the globe. The more people join us and share our story, the sooner we’ll change the industry. So what do you say.. Are you in?

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all hands on deck!

All of the players in the cocoa supply chain have responsibilities. The following 5 Key Players can work together to change the industry. Each player contributes to changing the status quo in their own way.

Choco Fans

know what you’re eating: ask chocolate companies to be transparent
choose consciously and buy chocolate sourced using Tony’s Sourcing Principles
sign petitions, support campaigns and use your social network

cocoa companies  

commit to Tony’s Sourcing Principles:  

traceable beans
a higher price (that enables farmers to earn a living income)
the long-term
strong farmers
improved productivity and quality

retailers

stock chocolate sourced using Tony’s Sourcing Principles on your shelves
don’t skimp on price – pay a price that enables cocoa farmers to earn a living income
insist on traceability

cocoa farmers  

commit to tackling child labour and forced labour in your communities
improve productivity and reduce dependency on cocoa
implement responsible and sustainable practices in your businesses
work together: build strong cooperatives with strong farmers

governments in cocoa-producing countries

hold corporations accountable for what happens in their supply chains
implement HREDD legislation